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Director of the Phenix Centre, Ahmad Awad said that the economic participation rates of women in Jordan have remained stagnant for years, lingering at 14 per cent. He emphasised that the capabilities of women in Jordan, especially female entrepreneurs, are hindered by various obstacles preventing increased participation in the labour market, according to a statement to The Jordan Times.
Shatha Obeid, project management director at CARE International in Jordan, highlighted the need to intensify efforts to enhance women's economic participation, emphasising its tangible impact on economic growth. CARE consistently focuses on empowering women, children, refugees, and other marginalised groups by providing resources and eliminating discrimination in the labour market, he added.
Lead researcher at the Phoenix Centre, Ola Badr, presented key findings from the study, pointing out economic, social, legal and personal challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in Jordan. The study indicated that the economic challenges are represented by the poor financial assets and resources of women entrepreneurs, limited financial inclusion of women and their weak financial culture, and inadequate marketing and product distribution. The study also revealed that 61 per cent of female entrepreneurs in the sample faced challenges related to the lack of basic and intangible resources, she said.
The study also highlighted difficulties related to accessing financial services, with more than 56.9 per cent finding it challenging and 38.7 per cent facing obstacles in obtaining loans. Weak marketing skills were noted by 40.5 per cent of respondents, as many of them do not use technology for marketing, impacting their ability to reach a broader customer base and compete in digital markets, according to the statement.
Addressing social challenges, the study identified societal attitudes, gender roles, and geographical and cultural barriers, as significant factors. Societal attitudes in Jordan tend to steer women towards traditional roles, they do not accept job opportunities that do not suit their culture, which has contributed to high unemployment rates among women and hinders their participation in entrepreneurship.
Geographical and cultural barriers also worsen challenges to market access, particularly in rural areas. Women in these regions face transportation difficulties and conservative customs that hinder their business endeavours, according to the statement.
The study also highlighted that female entrepreneurs in Jordan face numerous legal and regulatory challenges, limiting their ability to run and manage small and microenterprises. This includes formal registration and licensing processes that result in the loss of some social protection benefits, discouraging them from officially registering their businesses.
As for personal challenges, the study also highlighted that Entrepreneurial women lack some leadership skills, self-awareness, legal and financial awareness and certain leadership skills like setting long-term goals, time management, planning, communication skills and interpersonal communication, according to the statement.
Deputy Director of Planning and Economic Development at the Greater Amman Municipality Ghadeer Hamoud said that efforts are underway to enhance women's economic participation by providing business incubators for women entrepreneurs. Additionally, training courses are going to be offered in various fields, such as production kitchens and beauty, to raise awareness and skills.
Manal Abdullah, research specialist at the Microfund for Women, said that the fund works to provide financing opportunities for women of all nationalities to start their projects. The fund also offers educational courses to ensure the sustainability of these projects.
The study also recommended reviewing legal legislation related to business practices, simplifying registration and licensing procedures for small and microprojects, and creating business incubators for women entrepreneurs. It also suggested enhancing public transportation to meet the needs of women, especially those with disabilities and emphasised the need for joint government and societal efforts to overcome economic, social and legal obstacles faced by women entrepreneurs, according to the statement.